Sakigake!! Otoko Juku 268

With Pharaoh finally floating to a victory, Otokojuku's path on the Road to the Royal Palace gets closer to it's destination. But there are still many rivers and many threats to cross to reach the final destination!

Chp. 268: Death-Struggle on the River!!

185.
Pharaoh: Wahhahaha, there’s nothing to say about the lingering memories of this victory!! Surely that was a great intellectual victory!! Pharaoh is strong!
Tou Fuuketsu: Understood, understood. We’re already tired hearing of your bragging, Pharaoh.
Momotarou: N!?
Pharaoh: That sound!?
Pharaoh: Yes--!! It’s the sound of flowing water---! With this, we can moisten our throats---!! Even if I made a mistake, I’mm certain this isn’t the pee of a chimpanzee---!!
Pharaoh: !!

186.-187.
Pharaoh: Th…this is…………!!
Momotarou: A river………!!
Pharaoh: This here is the 4th Battleground of the “Road to the Royal Palace”?
Pharaoh: Even so, what are those numberless logs that are tied up in the river!?
Pharaoh: L…look, someone is coming!! So…someone is coming down the river in a boat---!!

188.
Vermillion: You’ve come well to this Fubokuryuu-tou!! My name is Vermillion, one of the Five of the “Road to the Royal Palace”! I am the ferryman of the Sanzu River that will transport you to Hades!!
(TN: A couple things:
-“Fubokuryuu-tou” = “Floating-Wood Current-Battle”
-The “Sanzu River”, also known as the “River of Three Crossings”, is a belief in Japanese Buddhism akin to the River Styx in Greco-Roman traditions. This is the river that must be crossed in order to reach the afterlife)

189.
Momotarou: Wh…what, the Sanzu River……!!
Pharaoh: What kind of person is he knowing those words!?
Vermillion: First, I will explain about this Fubokuryuu-tou. Now you can’t see this from the place all of you are, but about three km downstream of this river is a large waterfall which is said if you fall down it, not even your corpse will rise to the surface in the end!!
Vermillion: Just before falling off the waterfall is suspended one rope. Catching onto this will save you.
Vermillion: The battle will occur on top of the logs that will float at the same time at the start of the match. In short: this is a battle where we’re disputing the one lifeline over the interval of 3km from this point to falling into the waterfall!!
Vermillion: Well, who will it be!! Who will be my opponent!?

190.
Commentary:
Fubokuryuu-tai…a cruel dueling metod who has it’s origin in Alaska of the pioneer days and became unique in history due to bringing to a conclusion disputes of fellow lumberjacks with their wild temperament. Naturally, it was a dangerous dueling method with a high likelihood of the death of both players and it was a personal proof of courage for challenging in this.

Further in 1930, it was prohibited by the state government of those times, but there are rumors that it is said to occur in secret even today.
-From “The Great Traveler’s Journal of Alaska”, Minmei Publishing

Momotarou: Wh…what a match.
Pharaoh; Th…there have been many battles even to now, but th…this is the hardest of them……!!
Pharaoh: Wa!!
Tougou: It seems it’s turning to my turn at last.
Pharaoh: To…Tougou Souji~~~~!!

191.
Momotarou: Ho…hold on, Tougou, are you planning to fight riding on that bike!? The match will occur on top of logs with an unstable foothold flowing down those rapids.
Tougou: Fu: this is a thing that’s like my hands and feet. I’ve been fast since I rode in a baby carriage since I was a brat; I’m riding on this. Your unnecessary worry is futile.
Tougou: Here we go---!!

192.
Tou Fuuketsu: Wh…what a guy……!! He’s…he’s running down that cliffside with riding his bike…………..!!
Momotarou: …………!! It would be best if that recklessness doesn’t backfire……!!

193.
Tougou: Sorry for keeping you waiting, Vermillion.
Tougou: The preparations are OK!! Let’s start this.
Vermillion: Fufu: you’re a youth who doesn’t know the true terror of the Fubokuryuu-tou, but even if I were to strike your big mouth, it’s just now.
Vermillion: Nun!!

194.
Tougou: Ooh!!

195.
Tougou: It…it’s fast!! I wasn’t aware that the flow would be as steep like this.
Vermillion: Right: 3km will be a short period of time!!
Momotarou: Alright, we too will go follow this river!!
Pharaoh: W…what: we’re going to run and go chase after this---!!
Pharaoh: Puha—this is a bothersome match.
Vermillion: What’s wrong!? How about if you come at me quickly!! Show me your bike skills.

196.
Tougou: I’m prepared!!
Tougou: This is my Bike Sappou!!
(TN: “Bike Sappou” or “Baiku Sappou” = “Killer Bike Method”)

197.
Vermillion: Hooh, you’ve prepared a blade on your bike!!
Tougou: Ha--!!

198.
Tougou: Dorya---!!
Pharaoh: Ooh! Tougou’s bike attack is dreadful---!! He’s jumping with the nimbleness that can’t be seen from log to log by wheelies---!!
Momotarou: But that man Vermillion is easily handing this!!
Tou Fuuketsu: Umu, he isn’t an ordinary person after all.

199.
Tougou: Nuu!! How about if you counter a bit without just randomly running---!!
Vermillion: Fine with that.
Vermillion: So, you should receive my special Ougi!!
Tougou: !?

200.
Tougou: OUGI: SHINKUU SENZAN!!
(TN: “Shinkuu Senzan” = “Vacuum Hail-Murder”)
Tougou: ………!?
Tougou: Heh, what behavior was that!? Nothing happened, did it?
Touogu: I’ll knaw through any bluff!!

201.
Tougou: This callous should resign---!!
Momotarou: Ha! It…can’t be: Ougi Shinkuu Senzan is…………!!
Momotarou: S…stop~~~!! Stop, Tougou---!!
Tougou: Huh---!?
Tougou: !!

202.
Tougou: Uoo, th…this is---!!
Momotarou: To…Tougou---!!
Pharaoh: No, it rushed to his neck---!! With that situation and force, he doesn’t have the leisure to avoid anymore---!
Vermillion: Fu, it’s a cruel scene where you can’t withstand looking ahead. You didn’t notice the bladed steel wires that I drove into the bush on both the left and right sides and stuck out there………!!

203.
Vermillion: Well, who will be my next prey? Can’t it be a person who I can chew much better!!
Voice: Is…is chewing like this!?
Vermillion: Nu!!
Tougou: Do…do you think I’ll be defeated by this level? The…the match is from here……!!
(TN: The “chewing” part is in connection to the line “hagotae”, which is “more consistency when chewing”. However, the “chewing” line was just too easy to use with the way Tougou saved himself from the wire)
(End of Vol. 29)

TN: And this, my friends, is why you shouldn't just randomly have a motorcycle as your fighting style for the good guys. Sure a bad guy using a motorcycle could have been a neat novelty for one fight and just one. But Tougou dragging that thing through the jungle and being forced onto essentially a lumberjack showdown where he could be thrown off a waterfall...not a good idea. Honestly I like the idea and the factor of Miyashita introducing a unique kenpou for the good guys, but somehow it just feels like Tougou having it was a bit of a mistake...then again most of the time the kenpou fights end up being one giving a disadvantage to the good guys anyway so that's par for the course. But other than that, at least the kid has one fight...strange sure with Vermillion and the whole lumberjack setup but a fight is a fight at this stage of the game.